“I think that there will be faculty who have outside opportunities – who will be, perhaps at the tipping point of deciding whether to stay or go," he said. "And I think that the current state plan can’t be the only option available to people. That won’t be competitive in terms of what people can get in other places.”

U of I spokesman Tom Hardy confirmed administrators are looking into a kind of supplemental program for all three campuses.

Burbules has been active in the University Senates Conference, a governing body made up of faculty in Urbana, Chicago and Springfield.

He said the group suggested such a move at its November meeting, and could get more discussion when the Urbana campus Senate meets next week.

“What you have in many places is a situation where an employee contribution is matched with some formula by the university, and/or by the employer, " said Burbules. "I think that some kind of matching program makes a lot of sense to me. And again, it would be a significant supplement to the gap that’s being created.”

Burbules said it’s unfortunate there wasn’t a chance for lawmakers to develop a plan with the backing of U of I leadership.

The U of I Urbana Senate meets Monday, December 9 at 3:10 p.m. in The Illini Union.